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Startup & Maintenance
Problems |
Do NOT forget to unplug your power, Phone wires when you are
not using your computer during the Thunderstorm season. |
Hauling your computer into a repair
shop can give you the same sickly, helpless feeling you get when you take your car to the
mechanic. How do you if know the shop is reputable? Will you get charged for things that
aren't even broken? Does the repair staff know what it's doing? Use these guidelines when
you take your computer to the repair shop. Hold on. Before you resign yourself to hiring a
professional, make sure the problem isn't something you can solve yourself.
1. Wiggle the cables to ensure that all devices are properly attached.
2. Reboot the machine.
3. Make sure your software drivers are up to date.
4. Uninstall anything you added to your machine around the time problems arose.
5. Try a diagnostic tool such as Norton Utilities.
6. Reinstall Windows.
7. Consult a knowledgeable friend. |
| -- Check the power
cords to make sure power is reaching the computer. Jiggle the cords, unplug them, and then
plug them in again. If jiggling the cords doesn't restore power, then purchase new ones.
Surge protectors and power strips can have bad outlets. Power cords can suddenly go bad
and stop working for no reason. If this doesn't restore power, you need to take your
computer into the repair shop. |
| Monitor Has No Display -- First check the connections. Don't over tighten the connector. If you've
recently moved the monitor, be sure no pins were bent in the connecting cable.
Substitute a monitor you know works to determine if it's a monitor problem or a computer
problem. If the monitor power light turns on and then suddenly turns off, you probably
have a real problem with the monitor and not just the power switch. If you have another
display problem, download this free test program. Dos
Windows |
| If you can't print: -- Check the ready light on the printer to see if it's working. If the light
is not on, power down your computer and printer, disconnect the cable, and reconnect.
Reboot the computer and see if the printer light goes on. If this doesn't work, check the
printer cover, ribbon, ink cartridge, and paper supply to verify everything looks normal.
Most printers have a self-test you can try by turning the printer off, then holding down
the form feed or select button while turning the printer on. Try this. Next, check to see
if the correct driver is loaded. If you use Windows, select Properties in the printer
control panel and run a test page. If the printer runs a self-test but won't print from
Windows, you could have a bad printer interface, driver, or port on the computer. |
If you can't connect to the
Internet:
Dial-up modem Check to see if you have a dial tone. Don't use an office PBX line or
phone to test for a dial tone. Listen for the touch tone sounds when dialing the Internet.
If you can't hear them, check the modem properties found in the My Computer connections.
Double-click My Computer. Select Dial-up Networking.
Click on More Info under diagnostics to test the modem and settings.
Be sure your password, dialup number, and login name are correct.
Cable or DSL Check the lights on the router or modem and make sure none are amber or
red. They should be green or flicker green. If not, reset the modem, router, and the hub
by turning the power off for a minute and then turning it on again.
Next, check the settings for your network. Network settings for DSL are usually set to
automatically detect the network. If the modem lights won't turn green and stay amber or
red, you should call your Internet service provider or cable company for assistance. |
| If your Computer will not
Boot -- First, check that no disks or CDs are in your drives.
If you see one, take it out, and reboot. If this doesn't work, check the power supply. If
power supply is fine, take your computer to a repair shop. If the data on your system is
really important, select a repair shop that does data recovery. |
| If your Computer keeps
Freezing -- If you've been computing for an hour or more, and
the computer freezes, you may have dust in the power supply or system. Use canned air to
clean the passageways if you suspect a problem. If your computer consistently freezes
while running a particular program, you may need to reload the program or the operating
system. Other more serious problems might be bad RAM, main board, or hard disk. Use the
system utilities to check these before calling for help. Your self-diagnosis will help the
repair tech solve your problems. |
Hauling your computer into
a repair shop can give you the same sickly, helpless feeling you get when you take your
car to the mechanic. How do you if know the shop is reputable? Will you get charged for
things that aren't even broken? Does the repair staff know what it's doing? Use these
guidelines when you take your computer to the repair shop. Hold on. Before you resign
yourself to hiring a professional, make sure the problem isn't something you can solve
yourself.
1. Wiggle the cables to ensure that all devices are properly attached.
2. Reboot the machine.
3. Make sure your software drivers are up to date.
4. Uninstall anything you added to your machine around the time problems arose.
5. Try a diagnostic tool such as Norton Utilities.
6. Reinstall Windows.
7. Consult a knowledgeable friend. |
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